LOS ANGELES, Jan 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A major cyclone hit the US state of California Wednesday with up to seven inches (18 centimetres) of rain, the National Weather Service said, after tens of thousands of people were placed under evacuation orders due to a barrage of storms that killed at least 17 people.
On Tuesday, torrential downpours caused flash flooding, closed key highways, toppled trees and swept away drivers and passengers — including a five-year-old boy who remains missing in central California.
Around 66,000 homes and businesses in the most populous US state were without power early on Wednesday, according to tracking site Poweroutage.us.
The new storm will hit northern California and is forecast to bring several more feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada mountains, the NWS said.
The NWS described an “unrelenting series of atmospheric river events” that is the most powerful storm system since 2005.
“An enormous cyclone rotating well off the West Coast will bring the next round of heavy precipitation and gusty winds (on Wednesday), this time targeting northern California,” the service’s latest advisory said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said at least 34,000 people had been told to flee the storms, with more danger expected. — NNN-AGENCIES
